Applique for fingernail designs



April 30, 1940. F. NOLAN APPLIQU Foa FINGERNAIL DEsIGNs Fiied April 17, 1939v Patented Apr. 30, i940' UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

I'his invention relates to new and useful improvements in an appliqu and process for fingere nail designs.

The invention has for an object the construction of appliqu which may be applied to the fingernails in novel fashion.

Another object of the invention resides in a l novel decoration for the fingernails produced by a novel process making use of appliqu pieces. 'Ihe invention contemplates the use of very small appliqu pieces of various designs such as clubs,

and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appendedclaims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

in the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a hand with the iingernails decorated according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is an `enlarged plan View of one of the iingers to more clearly illustrate the decoration.

Fig. 3 is a schematic vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the appliqu pieces drawn to an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the shields used in carrying out the process.

Fig. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a finger as it would appear during a certain step of the process.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an appliqu piece constructed according to'a modification of this invention.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlargedsectional view showing the use of the appliqu illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, and illustrated during a certain step of carrying out the process of this invention.

According to this invention, ones fingernails I may be decorated with various designs, II, I I, Il, etc. The decoration comprises two layers of fingernail polish I2 in which the design II is formed in negative. 'I'he polish I2 has the design II formed therein in a manner so that where the design is located th'e lower layer of polish iscovered and the design is directly viewable through the upper layer of polish which should bev of transparent nature. It is this arrangement which produces the novel design.

'I'he invention is practised in the following manner: A plurality of appliqu pieces I4 of specific designs are provided for carrying out the process. The appliqu I4 is placed over the first coat of polish I2 or is pasted to the fingernail by an adhesive which holds it weakly so that it may be removed when desired. Such an adhesive may be rubber cement. The appliqu I4 is pasted upon the fingernail in a position in which the design is desired to appear. Then the second layer of nail polish I2 is applied over the fingernail and over the appliqu I4. The nail polish is permitted to dry. The fingernail is then in the condition shown in Fig. 6 wherein the reference numeral I0 lindicates the fingernail.

A shield I6 is engaged over the dry nail polish I2. This shield has an opening I4 of the same size and shape as the appliqu I4. The shield is engaged over the fingernail so that the appliqu I4 is viewable therethrough. Then polish softening materiall is positioned over the shield I6 to engage through the opening I4 to soften the polish above the appliqu I4. This softener may be conventional polish removing lacquer. While the nail polish above the appliqu I4 isstill soft the polish and the appliqu are removed with a pointed implement which is extended through the opening I4. The shield I 6 is then removed and the nail polish allowed to thoroughly dry. 'Ihe design produced by the appliqu will now be in-negative on the fingernail. Through the design4 area the fingernail itself is viewable.

In Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive a modified form of the invention has been disclosed which relates both to the appliqu and the method for carrying out the nail design. According to this form ofthe invention the appliqu comprises a fiat sheet oi fragile material 24 cut out to the desired design and shape. A thread 25 is pastedl along the edges of the sheet 24. This thread has one end portion 25a located upon the center of the sheet and extended upwards in the form of a loop. The other end of the thread 25 is indicated by the reference numeral 25h. The thread 25 is held in position by some weak adhesive such as cement,l glue or the like so that it may readily be removed by pulling. V

The process for carrying out the decoration of the fingernail using the appliqu shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is as follows:

The appliqu 24 together with its thread 25 is pasted upon the fingernail at the proper location. Nail polish 26 is applied over the fingernail and over the appliqu and thread. A shield, such as the shield I6, is placed over the fingernail and the nail portion directly above the appliqu 24 is softened with nail polish remover. Then with a sharp implement the loop 25 of the thread 25 is grasped and the thread is pulled to cut the nail polish 26 along the edges of the appliqu 24. With the sharp implement the appliqu 24 is removed along with the nail polish above it. It will be found that the thread 25 produces a sharp edge defining the design, as contrasted with a wavy or ragged edge of the design when carried out by the prior method.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I'do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l l, A process for decorating the fingernail consisting in pasting a cutout fragile appliqu upon the fingernail, applying nail lacquer over the fingernail and the appliqu, engaging a shield upon the fingernail to expose only the nail polish above the appliqu, applying a substance through the shield for softening the nail polish above the appliqu, and then picking out the appliqu and the nail polish through said shield, and finally removing the shield. v

2. A process for decorating the fingernail consisting in pasting a cutout fragile appliqu upon the fingernail, applying nail lacquer over the fingernail and the appliqu, engaging a shield upon t-he fingernail to expose only the nail polish above the appliqu, applying a substance through -the shield for softening the nail polish above the appliqu, and then picking out the appliqu and the nail polish through said shield, and finally removing the shield, said softening being accomplished with a nail polish remover lacquer.

3. An appliqu for the decoration of fingernails, comprising a cutout fragile sheet of material adapted to be pasted on ones fingernail prior to coating with nail polish and adapted to be removed after coating for producing a negative of said cutout sheetin said polish, and "a thread pasted along the edge of said cutout sheet and adapted to be pulled for cutting out said negative from said nail polish.

4. An appliqu for the' decoration of fingernails, comprising a cutout fragile sheet of material adapted to be pasted on ones fingernail prior to coating with nail polish and adapted to be removed after coating for producing a negative of said cutout sheet in said polish, and a thread pasted along the edge of said cutout sheet and adapted to be pulled for cutting out said negative from said nail polish, one end of said thread being extended to the center of the appliqu and formed with a loop by which it may be easily gripped.

5. A process for decorating ones fingernail consisting in pasting an appliqu of cutout fragile Asheet material having a thread pasted along its edge, upon the fingernail, applying nail polish lacquer to 'the fingernail covering said appliqu nail having a cutout portion to expose the nail polish above the appliqu, softening said latter mentioned. area of nail polish with a softening lacquer, pulling said thread for cutting the nail polish along the edges of the appliqu, and thenY picking out the appliqu and nail polish through said shield, and finally removing said shield.

7. A process for decorating the fingernail, consisting in applying a layer of nail lacquer over a fingernail, pasting a cutout fragile appliqu upon the layer of nail lacquer, applying a second layer of nail lacquer oversaid first layer and said appliqu, engaging a cutout shield upon said second layer of nail lacquer to expose only the nail lacquer above the appliqu, applying a substance through the shield for softening the nail lacquer above the appliqu, picking out said appliqu and nail lacquer thereabove While said nail lacquer is soft for forming the design of said appliqu in relief in said nail lacquer, and finally removing said shield from said nail lacquer.

` FRANK NOLAN.

and thread, applying a shield upon the finger-v 

